Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance

After reading Educated by Tara Westover I was interested in other memoirs but afraid they wouldn't meet my expectations.  Around this time my friend recommended Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance and I decided to give it a try.  I am so glad I did!

Hillbilly Elegy shows the life and culture of "hillbillies" and the unique bond they share.  The author starts the story with this grandparents migration to Ohio and the culture they brought with them.  The story moves in to his own childhood and how the hillbilly culture he gained from his grandparents, who had a big hand in raising him, shaped the person he became.  This is a raw and powerful story that I feel is a must read.  I am grandchild of a working class grandmother myself.  My own grandmother was raised on a "mill hill" but while reading Hillbilly Elegy, I found many common threads especially when it comes to family, culture, and way of life.

Overall I felt that this was a strong story that fans of Educated would appreciate although I did find that this was a quicker read.